Mexico City: Part 2

Hey there!

Back with part 2 of my recap of my trip to Mexico City. I had originally planned for there to only be two parts but I started writing and I realized just how much there was to say. I keep these posts somewhat on the shorter side, I decided that I would come back in a few days to talk about the last couple of days. Hope you guys are enjoying the read. Definitely go back and read Part One if you missed it.

Day 3 was a big day for Sy and I. We knew that were heading to the Museo Nacional de la Anthropologia, but we thought it would be fun to grab some breakfast first. We went to Fonda Margarita, a restaurant that someone recommended to Sy before the trip. Just to give you a little context on this place – it’s only open from 5:30am to 11:30am OR until they run out of food. We were lucky because we got there around 10:30 and they were still serving. They had a limited menu, however. Because Sy isn’t super fluent in Spanish and I pretty much speak none, ordering at this place was a mess. Haha The environment was super fast-paced, with mariachi being performed and waitresses yelling orders the kitchen so when our waitress was trying to tell us what our options were, there was a lot of confusion. Luckily, we were seated at a table with these lovely women, one of whom spoke English very well, and they jumped in to help us out. I was so grateful for Sy in that moment (and many others) as I realized more and more just how little Spanish I actually know (hence my decision to take Spanish as a 4th year PhD student). Anyway, it was totally worth it. The only main dish they had left was the chicharron en verde so we split that along with a side of eggs and refried beans, which gave me life. The food was bomb. The atmosphere was lively. Glad we were able to include it in our trip.

We went straight from the resto to the musem. The Museo Nacional de la Anthropologia is touted as one of the “must-go” sites in Mexico. Upon arriving, it was apartment why it has gained this reputation. Our Uber dropped us off at the entrance that’s below street level where we were greeted with this beautiful fountain.

After our photoshoot, we headed upstairs and entered the lobby to grab our tickets and enter the exhibits. The door on the other side of the lobby lets out into a humungous court yard, featuring yet another fabulous fountain and exhibit spaces on either side. The galleries were organized by different themes, most of which were various historical indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica. In addition to the exhibits inside, the rooms on the left-hand side of the courtyard also let out into these amazing recreations of ancient ruins. They were quite impressive. Being the badass museum trotters that we are, Sy and I managed to get through all of rooms in around two and a half hours. Our favorite exhibit was the room with the caveman dioramas.

After finishing up at the museum, we took a stroll through the park to Castillo de Chapultapec. Though there are some exhibits here, the most incredible aspect of this site is the actual space. The castle itself is beautifully designed with gorgeous balconies and gardens. It also gives you sick view of the city.

After going back home to rest up for a bit, we came back into the city to go to Fonda Fina for some deliciousness. We went back to the bar where Newton’s friend works and met with some people that Sy had met during his first week of travel. Newton, who had class that evening, met us there and a group of us spent the rest of night in search of adventure. I wouldn’t say that we necessarily found it but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed wandering.

Day 4

The next day started with a breakfast/brunch situation at Casa de Tono. This is a Mexican chain known for its pozole. This dish was super comforting given the somewhat cool/rainy weather. Looking forward to trying to make some of this at home once LA decides to let summer go.

The rest of the day was spent walking through the Polanco neighborhood with Newton and Sy. This was Newton’s only day without class or work so it was nice to get to hang with him. We got fro-yo, window-shopped, and ended up at the Museo Jumex. We topped the afternoon off with some baked goods from Esperanza. I had this delicious mini-apple pie that I did not take a photo of because I ate it too fast. We went back to Newton’s for a bit of rest time (which for me meant work time), and then we went to get seafood at Fisher’s.

Okay. I’ll back back shortly to talk about the last two days of my trip!